


Coming Out On Top

by kickassfu



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arthur Is King, BAMF Merlin (Merlin), First Kiss, M/M, POV Merlin (Merlin), as in its their first kiss together, duel, introspective, lancelot never died, sexual tension whilst fighting, they kinda make out, they probably know about merlin's magic even if it isn't exactly mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:42:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27294376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickassfu/pseuds/kickassfu
Summary: Merlin wonders how surprised Arthur will be.Body tense, with his trusty staff in hand he can’t help himself but twirl it a bit, expertly, smooth and quick.Arthur is very surprised, as expected. What’s not expected is how his eyes darken a bit, his lips parted, as he looks up and down Merlin completely anew.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 267





	Coming Out On Top

**Author's Note:**

> I got this prompt on tumblr: could you maybe write a merthur fic where Arthur has a sword and Merlin has a staff and they duel?
> 
> I am not an action writer lol i'm more of an introspective writer than anything sooooo ENJOY~~

Life is full of surprises.

No matter how old one gets, realizations about oneself never really stops happening. _I don’t like this food, I love that drink, I’m in love with my best friend and Prince (it’s King now, actually but it doesn’t sound as good so) prat extraordinaire, I can in fact fight even without magic_ , Merlin isn’t quite sure which of the new findings is the most surprising. Well, probably the fighting one, because the being in love one was a long time coming even if he pretended to be blind to it.

But he used to be so clumsy with a sword, more brute force (except without the brute) and luck (magic), than actual skill and finesse. And not surprisingly, he’s still awful with a sword, what he finds out instead is that that’s the wrong weapon for him. 

It starts off with something silly: Lancelot throwing him a staff. 

“I’m quite rusty with this, why don’t you give me a hand?”

Lancelot has never been the type to be cruel, mischievous maybe, but not cruel, so Merlin doesn’t even question _why him_. Is even happy to be able to help his friend, to be able to spend more time with Lancelot.

Something inevitably clicks. No, he’s not good at it, for obvious reasons, like it’s the first time he’s even fighting with the damn thing. But there’s a certain ease that doesn’t come when he needs to use a sword, and he’s not the only one to notice it if Lancelot’s expression is anything to go by. So they keep training (in secret for some dumb reason, like maybe wanting to impress Arthur when he’s finally good) whenever they can, almost every day, until Merlin is in fact, just as good as Lancelot. If not better.

(Also, for posterity’s sake, he did not get that good very fast at all. It took months! Well, maybe a year- _years_ , who’s counting?)

So, when Arthur saunters to him, and throws him a sword, wanting to “duel” him - more like wanting to use him for target practice - Merlin finally feels confident enough that with the right weapon (and without even using any magic) he’ll finally be able to beat Arthur, and asks a simple question, “Can I change weapons, _Sire_?”

Arthur looks at him suspiciously, but acquiesces shrugging his shoulders, “Sure, I can beat you black and blue with your weapon of choice if that makes you feel better, _Mer_ lin.”

As much as he tries to keep his excitement down, he knows he’s smiling a tad too much, that Arthur can see it even if he doesn’t understand it. 

_Merlin wonders how surprised Arthur will be._

Body tense, with his trusty staff in hand he can’t help himself but twirl it a bit, expertly, smooth and quick.

Arthur is very surprised, as expected. What’s not expected is how his eyes darken a bit, his lips parted, as he looks up and down Merlin completely anew.

What kind of realization Arthur just had, Merlin will probably never know, but he definitely had one pertaining Merlin. After all, the way he’s looking at Merlin shifted. In fact Arthur’s staring so hard he could bore holes on Merlin’s fevered skin, which only serves to send shivers down his back.

Tired of the impasse (and maybe slightly worried of what might happen if Arthur just keeps looking at _him_ like _that_ ) Merlin strikes first, slow enough Arthur can parry him. It’s more of a warning than an actual attempt at hitting Arthur, he just wants the duel to start with both of their heads in it. No distractions.

Still, he can feel how Arthur practically burrows into his fucking soul with just the intensity of his eyes the more Merlin attacks and parries and deflects. Merlin isn’t used to Arthur being more focused on him than on the fight itself, it’s...not uncomfortable, _no_ , but deeply unsettling.

It’s obvious neither of them is putting their best into it, just dancing around each other, testing each other but never hitting too hard or too fast. Arthur because- well, Merlin doesn’t actually _know_ why, and Merlin because he doesn’t want to win if Arthur isn’t giving his best. What would be the point in a false win after all? It’s much more fun to completely destroy Arthur when he can’t give excuses of being distracted or other such nonsense.

And even though the staff is best at keeping an opponent at bay, somehow they both end up locked against each other, so close they share breaths, their noses almost touching, those damn eyes looking at Merlin’s, not looking away for a second as they push ( _pull?_ ) each other.

It’s only when Arthur momentarily looks down to Merlin’s lips, that Merlin’s brain fries. In the meltdown he ends up putting a little more force than he means to when pushing back against Arthur, making them both tumble down onto the dirt, with Merlin on top.

It’s a nice view at least, but Merlin now has two issues. Well, for one he’s actually quite comfortable on top of Arthur, or more like he’s just enjoying being completely glued to him, feeling every twitch, every heartbeat, everything, second of all is that he probably should be getting up soon and really, _really_ , doesn’t want to.

It takes him a few moments to even notice it, because (not) surprisingly he’s been very distracted by the heat of Arthur’s skin against his and by his blue eyes and-

-his _hands_. Arthur’s hands somehow landed on Merlin’s waist, holding him tight, or really just _squeezing_ his hips over and over again, as if he’s trying to control himself from doing something else entirely.

They’re in a limbo, just staring at each other, not walking away from one another, not closing the small space between them - afraid to move, to change something between the two irreversibly.

This one isn’t a realization, because everyone around Merlin knows that he is exactly this: _reckless_. So he goes for it, right there on the grassy, dirty training field, on top of _his_ King, sweating and gross, Merlin kisses Arthur. And it’s the best kiss of his life. Not because it’s good, because it’s really fucking not, it’s messy and too much of everything, a little confusing and hurried. 

But it’s _Arthur_. 

Merlin really can’t complain when Arthur’s right hand slides up his back, to hold Merlin’s nape. Nor can he complain about how Arthur is so excited about the whole thing, just as Merlin is, that they end up knocking noses and teeth a tad too painfully. Best of all he’s not complaining when they finally get their rhythm right, when they slow down and just share soft, small kisses.

“Who bet that they would end up kissing?” Gwaine’s loud voice and laughter cuts into Merlin’s slice of heaven, and murder is seeming to be the best response at the moment. Arthur goes a little stiff beneath him, hiding his face in Merlin’s neck - which is the cutest fucking thing, and Merlin can’t handle it-

“I don’t think anyone guessed that actually. I put down that Merlin would win, which I think this counts as.” is Lancelot’s _hilarious_ response, and Merlin really is going to kill all of them.

Arthur clears his throat, pushing Merlin away so he can get up. Looking away from his knights, he nods, “As you were.” and grabs Merlin’s hands to pull him up as well and leaves with him, still holding one of his hands. No explanation, no jokes, they just leave. 

When Merlin looks behind he can see that the knights are stunned for a moment and then start guffawing like a bunch of animals. _Idiots._ A little magic throws all of them on the ground as payback for interrupting; _who’s laughing now?_

Looking in front of him, still a great view from behind as well, Merlin knows they’ll eventually have to talk about it. Probably sooner rather than later. Although Arthur is emotionally constipated, so maybe later rather than sooner actually. _Whatever_. It’s not like Merlin’s in a rush, he can lose himself mapping Arthur’s body and scars in a way he has never done before. After all, dressing him is not the same as touching every corner of his body to see which patches of skin make him moan the loudest.

This isn’t exactly the outcome he predicted for their duel, well he still came on top so maybe it is, but he’s still satisfied with the result.

Life really is a fucking surprise, who knew?

**Author's Note:**

> i'm also kickassfu on tumblr~~


End file.
